God created the human body as a finely tuned instrument of enormous power, but it requires fuel to operate. To make sure that body gets enough fuel, God created in humans an appetite for food, which we call "hunger." So why would anyone ever ignore hunger and choose not to eat? Going without food for spiritual reasons is called fasting, a spiritual… Read more…
Many women are wired to control. You’re the ones who make sure the house is clean, the meals are prepared, the beds are made, the children are dressed, and everyone gets to work, school, and other activities on time.But trying to control everything can be exhausting, and it can also cause friction with your friends and family.This humorous, yet thought-pro… Read more…
A love for reading is one of the most precious gifts that we can give children. It nurtures their imagination and creativity, lets them explore other worlds, and opens their minds to new truths and knowledge in appealing, inspiring ways. But how can we sort through thousands of children's books to discover the really worthwhile o… Read more…
Let's face it. Church isn't working. We hear sermons about the abundant life Jesus promised, but how many of us are actually living it? How many of our churches are thriving? How many people in our congregations are experiencing God's blessings? Maybe it's time to call it quits. Quit church? Well, not exactly. Drawing from his experienc… Read more…
Most of us are regular people who have good days and bad days. Our lives are radically ordinary and unexciting. That means they're the kind of lives God gets excited about. While the world worships beauty and power and wealth, God hides his glory in the simple, the mundane, the foolish, working in unawesome people, things, and places. In our day of celeb… Read more…
Okay, it's a fact. God made guys and girls different in more ways than just the physical. But how different could we really be? After all, we are all made in His image, right? Well, yes, but . . . Let's just say that guys and girls view the world in such different ways, that it's a miracle we communicate at all. What's worse is girls this age… Read more…
Too much to manage and not enough time or energy to do it? Join the club. Life is a pressure cooker and, more and more, being overwhelmed is just considered normal. But, truth be told, life's stresses and circumstances aren't the boss of us. What if we could take Overwhelmed and diffuse it--or, better yet, reframe it to good? Author, blogg… Read more…
Weary travelers. You've seen them -- everything they own crammed into their luggage. Staggering through terminals and hotel lobbies with overstuffed suitcases, trunks, duffels, and backpacks.Backs ache. Feet burn. Eyelids droop.We've all seen people like that.At times, we are people like that -- if not with our physical luggage, then at least with ou… Read more…
You Can Learn to Handle the Onslaught of Internal and External Pressures Does anxiety get in the way of your ability to be an effective leader? Is your inability to notice when you and those around you are anxious keeping you "stuck" in chronic unhealthy patterns? In Managing Leadership Anxiety, pastor and spiritual growth expert Steve Cuss o… Read more…
“My husband and I can't seem to agree on anything!”“You spent how much!?!”“My wife's parents are driving me crazy!””You never listen to me!”Let's face it—even the best of marriages hit an occasional bump in the road now and then. The secret to marital bliss lies in how you and your spouse handle those bumps. In Happily Ever Afte… Read more…